Top five legendary players of Borussia Dortmund

Some of these names have also left their mark in the sport worldwide.

Borussia Dortmund are often recognised for the passionate supporters, flamboyant gameplay and one of the best scouting networks in the world. However, above all of these, BVB have always been a formidable force in the Bundesliga.

The most recent League win came under Jurgen Klopp but the BVB once had a 'Golden Generation' back in the nineties and some top footballing stars of their time have donned Dortmund's yellow kit, bringing glory to the club.

We will take a lot at the top five Borussia Dortmund legends who have left their footprints in this club's illustrious history.

Lars Ricken

One of the native footballers who attained the legendary status by rising up the youth ranks at Dortmund. Ricken was a local boy and therefore his passion for the club was unmatched. He spent his entire 15-year footballing career at Dortmund.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6gix9hGKYw

Alongside his 302 appearances for the club his famous lobbed goal in the 1997 UEFA Champions League final against the mighty Juventus, which Dortmund won 3-1, made him immortal in the hearts of the club faithful. The Juventus side had some big names in Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps and Christian Vieri, however, it was Borussia Dortmund who outperformed themselves on the night. Ricken bagged three Bundesliga titles during his time at the club but yet that goal in the final remained as his career highlight.

The attacking midfielder had immense talent but his career was marred by injuries and he could only manage 16 appearances for the Die Mannschaft.

Roman Weidenfeller

A modern-day legend who belong to the recent Jurgen Klopp era of Borussia Dortmund when the Black and Yellow bagged back to back Bundesliga titles. Weidenfeller has been the mainstay for the club between the posts ever since Jens Lehmann.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RGbVzRW4JE

Weidenfeller has registered over 350 appearances for the club over the years and was known for his leadership skills throughout his career. He was always vocal and communicated well with his defenders to maintain shape. He guided Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2014 but they were beaten by rivals Bayern Munich.

Some consider Weidenfeller as an underrated star considering his skills as a goalkeeper. As an experienced campaigner, he added a lot in the German dressing room in their 2014 World Cup triumph. The custodian only managed six appearances for the Die Mannschaft, mostly playing second fiddle to Manuel Neuer.

Stefan Reuter

Another BVB legend who was part of the Golden Generation during the 90s. He won three Bundesliga titles with Dortmund and was also a part of the legendary German side which won the World Cup in 1990 and 1996 Euros.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH0L7fUHjkk

The midfielder spent 12 years at the Signal Iduna Park after playing his trade for clubs like Nuremberg, Bayern and Juventus. Reuter finally hung up his boots back in 2004 with an illustrious trophy cabinet which had 12 major international titles. He currently works as a Managing Director of Sport at Bundesliga side Augsburg FC.

Mathias Sammer

Probably the most decorated player in Dortmund history, Sammer was the only player to win the Balon d'Or in the club's history. He achieved that feat in 1996, when he guided Borussia Dortmund to the Bundesliga title and then inspired the Die Mannschaft to win the Euros. He followed up a great year with a Champions League title with BVB. However, with incessant injuries, Sammer decided to end his career in 1998.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhNM6CbAT6M

However, Sammer returned to Signal Iduna Park as a manager this time and lead them to another Bundesliga title and also reached the UEFA Cup final in 2002. He then went on to work with Joachim Low at the national team setup and later became the Sporting CEO of Bayern Munich and under his tenure, the Bavarians won the much coveted Champions League.

Michael Zorc

Another defensive midfielder who has made to our list is Michael Zorc. A Borussia Dortmund man through and through, Zorc holds the highest appearances by a player for the club. He was a one-club man and even after devoting his playing career to the club, he is still associated with Dortmund as their Director of Football.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yJpu91LBKk

Being a defensive midfielder and sometimes even a libero, Zorc was a calm and composed player. He carried the armband with a sense of pride and was the club's primary penalty taker through which he scored most of his 155 goals. During his career, he won back to back Bundesliga titles and was also part of the Champions League triumph in 1997. He also bagged a DFB Pokal and an Intercontinental Cup, which helped him remain as a fan favorite for the Borussia Dortmund faithful.